Coxsackievirus B5 in the presence of
fetal calf serum was exposed to six commonly used
disinfectants for times of 10, 20 and 30 s. At the end of exposure times skim milk neutralized the
disinfectant activity, with residual virus assayed by the plaque technique. The six
disinfectants considered were Javex,
sodium hydroxide,
ethanol,
Wescodyne, One
Stroke Ves-Phene and
Sonacide. Although 95% (v/v)
ethanol was significantly more virucidal than dilutions of the other five
disinfectants tested causing
a 10(6) reduction in 20 s, it may not be practical to use in many instances. Next to 95% (v/v)
ethanol, 1/75 (800 parts/10(6) Javex, 0.25% (w/v)
sodium hydroxide and 1/200
Wescodyne were the most effective virucides. These
disinfectants were equal in effectiveness causing
a 10(5) reduction of coxsackievirus B5 in 30 s. Of these three
disinfectants Javex is the most practical to use since
sodium hydoroxide is
caustic and
Wescodyne is selective in its virucidal action. Undiluted
Sonacide was a less effective virucide causing a less than 10-fold reduction of coxsackievirus B5 in 30 s. A 1/50 dilution of One
Stroke Ves-Phene was the least effective virucide tested since it did not significantly inactivate coxsackievirus B5 in 30 s.